How can you write for Star Wars? The dream of writing for major IPs like Marvel or Doctor Who is alive for countless writers. To write for a major franchise is no small feat, but it is an achievable dream for a select few.
Let’s face it, major franchises love producing content. Those who want to write for Star Wars can do so for almost any medium imaginable: comics, audio dramas, books, television series and more.
But it’s rarely a matter of pitching cold. Most opportunities are invite-only. To write for Star Wars especially requires approval from an entire department at Disney. The same is true for major properties such as Doctor Who or Marvel.
While receiving an invite is outside the average writer’s control, positioning your work in a way that encourages invitations is worthwhile. For those who are patient and strategic, opportunities exist.
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The process to write for Star Wars and other major IP
Major intellectual property is safeguarded by substantial studios such as Disney, Marvel or the BBC. Agents and networking play a critical role in establishing your voice as someone who could fit an existing IP.
Finding a literary agent is an essential first step. This process in itself can be arduous. Importantly, major IP rarely hires first-time writers. To eventually write for Star Wars, Charles Soule, a frequent novelist and comic writer, came with a full track record of acclaimed science-fiction work.
Open submission opportunities are exceedingly rare. One of the few opportunities exists for Doctor Who. Big Finish Productions has a license for the audio adventures of Doctor Who and hosts an annual, open competition for short story ideas.
The legal reality
Many writers grow impatient and attempt to get an unsolicited pitch in front of a key decision-maker. This is almost a guaranteed failure. Your pitch is unlikely to be read. Editors and producers will avoid reading unsolicited pitches to avoid lawsuits. If they read an idea in your pitch that inadvertently turns up in a future iteration of their IP, you could threaten them with plagiarism. It is always safer for them not to read a pitch.
If you’re eager to write for Star Wars or other major IP, it’s worth remembering that the financial terms of your publishing agreement will be different from your own work. You may have relatively little character control and be asked to write to a specific brief for a flat fee. You won’t own new characters or stories.
This is a reality that comic book writers have long had to swallow, as billion-dollar movies are produced based on their ideas. In most cases, they don’t receive compensation from the film’s success.
Writing fan fiction is a grey area that is largely tolerated by major studios, as long as writers aren’t making money off their publications. For many fans, writing fan fiction may be enough to satisfy the dream to write for Star Wars or other IP, and come with a lot less baggage.
Australians who write for Star Wars
Tom Taylor began as a Melbourne playwright and indie comics author. His work now includes major work for Marvel, DC and Star Wars. He found major success with his young adult indie graphic novels before being invited to contribute to several well-known comic titles.
Sean Williams is an Adelaide-based sci-fi novelist who became a Star Wars author through connections with agents and a backlist of original successes. His Star Wars career began when he was asked to write a novelisation for a Star Wars video game. The success of that title allowed him to write more.
In both cases, the writers leveraged past success and agent connections to find their way into the Star Wars universe and beyond.
Lessons for those who want to write for major IP
- Don’t wait to launch a career with a major IP. Spend time nurturing your original ideas to build a portfolio of work that will attract attention.
- Connect with agents, festivals and professional networks to make sure you’re visible as a writer looking for opportunities.
- Watch for rare open calls, such as those provided by smaller licensed companies like Big Finish, or video game publishers, who may already be dealing with the IP.
- Treat the process as a marathon, not a sprint. Patience is paramount.
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